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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Offers day: 1st March 2024

245 replies

Jbrown76 · 21/01/2024 16:01

Anyone nervous, slightly apprehensive?

OP posts:
CoffeeWithCheese · 01/03/2024 08:53

Finally got onto the website to download the letter... we got our first choice which was sibling priority but heavily out of catchment as we'd moved since the eldest went there.

Definitely think it's the best fit for DD2 with her SEN and she knows a lot of the current Y7 already.

willWillSmithsmith · 01/03/2024 08:52

Deleted

PuttingDownRoots · 01/03/2024 08:46

Email recieved... First choice where her sister attends. Not surprising.

Can start on uniform now (the generic bits like navy leggings which are harder to find than they sound!)

Clearinguptheclutter · 01/03/2024 08:35

PuttingDownRoots · 01/03/2024 08:34

This is just anecdotal... but this years "class" is definitely smaller thN previous years. I've done in year admissions several times for DDs... DD2 in this Yr6 has never had any problems getting a place. Her elder sister, in Yr8... it was always appeals and offers miles away. All their friends were the same. (It was a big discussion topic inthe military families!)

Yes our year 6 class is only 25 kids - was 23 at one point - whereas every other year is 30.

PuttingDownRoots · 01/03/2024 08:34

This is just anecdotal... but this years "class" is definitely smaller thN previous years. I've done in year admissions several times for DDs... DD2 in this Yr6 has never had any problems getting a place. Her elder sister, in Yr8... it was always appeals and offers miles away. All their friends were the same. (It was a big discussion topic inthe military families!)

TeenDivided · 01/03/2024 08:32

To appeal for a school you have to have applied for it, I think.
So if you want to appeal for a school ask to go on the waiting list for it.

CoffeeWithCheese · 01/03/2024 08:30

CaptainOhMyCaptain · 01/03/2024 08:18

I’ve always heard that 2012 was the peak year

2012 was the really squeezed year round here where kids were waiting till late in the academic year for reception places (I had one doing secondary apps last year and another this year so have a fair comparison).

I've now had the "letter is available click here to download" email but the... website's crashed!

LadyLapsang · 01/03/2024 08:27

@Juju Out of interest, are you situated in the SE of the county?

roses2 · 01/03/2024 08:27

CaptainOhMyCaptain · 01/03/2024 08:18

I’ve always heard that 2012 was the peak year

That's for the whole of 2012 though - for school admissions it is only the children born after 1st September 2012 which will count.

OMG the birth rate thing has made me super anxious now, I'm going to be a wreck until the email comes out 5/6pm :(

roses2 · 01/03/2024 08:26

In theory if you came in the catchment area for last year then you should be ok for this year because the birth rates are lower for Sep 2012 - Aug 2013 than they were for Sep 2011 - Aug 2012.

UK birth rates hit lowest level since World War Two as just 11 in every 1,000 women give birth last year – The Sun | The Sun

TeenDivided · 01/03/2024 08:24

@Garlicnaan @CheesecakeandCrackers @Thewaitisover and anyone else.

Sorry you didn't get your preferred schools.

The advice is always
. Accept your offered school. No harm comes from accepting.
. Appeal for any schools you think are preferable.
. To appeal you need to find things about the school you are appealing for that you think are better for your DC with reasons. You just need to show disadvantage of your DC not attending outweighs disadvantage to school of taking extra pupil.
. Things like extra curricular, subjects offered. You generally can't use Ofsted rating, GCSE results, travel, friends. e.g. DC plays violin, no orchestra at offered school, preferred school has orchestra and string quartets.
. If you want help from the appeal experts here, start your own threads with the word Appeal in the title rather than hiding questions on this thread.
. Be positive about allocated school to your DC, they may end up going there!

There can be lots of movement between now and September.

CaptainOhMyCaptain · 01/03/2024 08:18

I’ve always heard that 2012 was the peak year

roses2 · 01/03/2024 08:11

A record one in five pupils will miss out on their first-choice secondary school today amid a squeeze on places | Daily Mail Online

Daily Mail are quoting this is the year secondary applications have peaked due to high birth rates 10 years ago and hence they are expecting a higher number of children not to get their first choice.

I thought birth rates were falling year on year since 2010 and birth rates for this academic year are lower than last year and the year before?

CoffeeWithCheese · 01/03/2024 07:21

No news here yet

goingincognito1 · 01/03/2024 07:20

Good luck everyone, here's hoping we get the places we want 🙂

Littlecatsfeet · 01/03/2024 07:18

Portal has no info, and no email has arrived either. I'm dying of suspense!

hby9628 · 01/03/2024 07:18

@Thewaitisover that sounds incredibly stressful. Please try not to panic. There will be lots of movement in the lists, I'm sure you will get a school you are happy with. Which area are you in?

NutcrackerSweety · 01/03/2024 07:15

Remember huge amount of movement between now and September. Don’t panic there’s still time. Children will end up at going fee paying etc, freeing up spaces down the line. It’s not over. Good luck

TheGriffle · 01/03/2024 07:14

Our results were on the portal at 3am when I went for a wee. 3rd choice. Now on the waiting lists for 1 & 2.

HeChokedOnAChorizo · 01/03/2024 07:12

No email but been on the portal and DD got her first choice which is a relief as the school is over subscribed. On mine it said offered and on the other 2 choices it said withdrawn and I was allowed to accept her place.

in Cheshire.

RainsbowandBunnies · 01/03/2024 07:11

No result on our portal or email. Anxious to say the least x

BaronessOrczy · 01/03/2024 06:58

Thanks @Fluffycloudsfloatinginthesky

Just trying to figure out whether to appeal (bearing in mind what’s said upthread about cases for needing to go) or trust in waiting lists - slightly complicated by the fact my DC are twins so there’s double the pressure

itispersonal · 01/03/2024 06:57

Hugs to those whose children didn't get placed wanted!
Still awaiting for a result on the Notts portal!! Looking unlikely dd will know before she goes to school at 7.45

Fluffycloudsfloatinginthesky · 01/03/2024 06:53

BaronessOrczy · 01/03/2024 06:48

Gloucestershire here. Been awake since the email arrived at 2am. DC going to be very upset. 5th and worst choice.

Waiting lists and crossed fingers it is then.

The email is a bit strangely worded - we have to accept the place but go on the waiting list otherwise we won’t have a school place at all, I think, from trying to decode it. Even if you don’t want the place!

Yes - regardless of whether you want the offered school you should accept the place and then go on waitlist for any other school you may want. In my area you are automatically placed on waiting list for anything you ranked above what you got offered.

I got my 4th choice and was offered 2&3 by mid April ish and I did get offered first choice just before the start of term.

CheesecakeandCrackers · 01/03/2024 06:51

Thewaitisover · 01/03/2024 05:47

@CheesecakeandCrackers yes, so dreading it. I’ve been told that there’s lots of movement from now until as late as July, so I’m keeping everything crossed we have another offer x

Will keep everything crossed with you @Thewaitisover